How to be your own MUSICAL MOTIVATOR
More than two years since the first Covid lockdown and a few months since the last restrictions were lifted, at least in England, it’s back to reality. Family and office gatherings, meals out, trips to the cinema… they’re all back. So what’s the future for all those ‘mindful’ activities that were so popular during the pandemic when there was nothing else to distract us – such as reading, painting, or playing the piano?
Regarding that last one, in the June-July 2021 issue of Pianist (No 120) I reported that piano sales boomed during lockdown, with many people keen to learn the instrument or pick up from where they left off as children. For evidence, look no further than Steinway. Worldwide, its sales of pianos increased by 30% to almost £412 million in 2021. As a result, the privately-owned company has announced it is listing on the New York Stock Exchange.
That’s good news for Steinway but investors will be hoping that as lockdown restrictions disappear and old habits and distractions return, customers will continue to buy the firm’s pianos in their droves.
